August 5, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



165 



edged ability of their new leader to direct 

 the development of investigation in fruitful 

 lines, an ability already eminently demon- 

 strated by personal researches. It is a fur- 

 ther ground of high hope that he adds" to 

 commanding ability and fruitful experi- 

 ence, so large and so true appreciation 

 of the higher function of a state university. 

 Conscious of my personal partiality, I 

 yet believe that in truth the University of 

 Wisconsin is a leader among its class in 

 this higher field of research. But no uni- 

 versity has yet fully entered upon it. 

 Which shall be the first to become pre- 

 dominantly an institution of research? 

 Which shall be the first to fulfill the high 

 destiny of an ideal state university 1 

 Citizens of Wisconsin, given the means and 

 the moral support, your new educational 

 chief will lead forward with gigantic 

 strides your beloved institution into this 

 upper and broader field of usefulness. 

 Will the means and the moral support be 

 forthcoming? T. C. Chamberlin. 



Unitcksitt of Chicago. 



THE MOSELT EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION. 

 II. 



In most American colleges the arts 

 course occupies four years ; in a few only is 

 it possible to graduate in three years. At 

 Harvard College, where the subject of the 

 length of the course has long been under 

 discussion, it has recently been determined 

 to allow students to attain the bachelor of 

 arts degree in three or three and a half 

 years, instead of four years; but owing to 

 the improvement in the courses of instruc- 

 tion it will be possible to require from 

 candidates who obtain the degree in the 

 shorter period evidence of higher scholar- 

 ship than has been expected of their prede- 

 cessors at the end of four years. The arts 

 course at the Johns Hopkins University 

 extends over three years ; but the standard 

 of matriculation is said to be considerably 



higher than that maintained by institutions 

 which require a residence of four years. 

 The question whether the professional 

 schools of the universities shall require a 

 degree in arts or science from all candi- 

 dates for admission is now being much de- 

 bated. There is clearly a strong desire to 

 raise the standard. This is well expressed 

 in the following passage from the report 

 made by President Eliot, of Harvard, at 

 the close of 1902 : 



Since the wise and eiEcient conduct of American 

 affairs, commercial, industrial and public, depends 

 more and more upon the learned and scientific 

 professions, the universities owe it to the country 

 to provide the best possible preparation for all 

 the professions. This best possible preparation 

 can only be given to young men who up to their 

 twenty-first year have had the advantages of con- 

 tinuous and progressive school and college train- 

 ing. 



President Eliot gives the following table 

 showing the proportion in nine universities 

 in which law and medical students holding 

 a preliminary degree stand to all students: 



Holders Whole Per Cent. 



of a Number of of Holders 



Universities. Prelim- Law and of a Pre- 



inary Medical liminary 



Degree. Students. Degree. 



Harvard 886 1,134 78.1 



Columbia 562 1,260 44.6 



Pennsylvania 331 928 35.6 



Northwestern 220 691 31.8 



Mohigan 216 1,867 15.8 



Yale : 119 398 29.9 



California 118 269 44.0 



Chicago (Med.)... 100 325 30.7 



Cornell 75 607 12.3 



Harvard University "has definitely de- 

 termined to pursue the policy of requiring 

 for admission to its professional schools a 

 preliminary degree and has already ap- 

 plied this policy in all its professional 

 schools except the dental school. The re- 

 sult has been an improvement in its pro- 

 fessional schools striking in proportion to 

 the strength of the contrast between the 

 former students and the present in regard 

 to their previous training." 



